Edward Randolph condemns the Massachussetts Bay Company 12 June 1683

Articles of high misdemeanour exhibited against the
Governor and Company of Massachusetts by Edward
Randolph.

They execute the powers in their charter otherwise
than as directed, and exceed them.

They have made laws repugnant to the laws of England, and have not
repealed those objected to by Sir William Jones and Sir Francis
Winnington as they promised.

They continue to raise money from non-freemen, contrary to the opinion of Sir
Robert Sawyer.

They continue to exact an oath of fidelity to themselves, notwithstanding the King's orders to the
contrary, and make such oath essential to the tenure of
office and even freedom of the Company.

They have refused to the King's subjects the benefit of juries in trial of
civil causes, and denied to such as were not of their persuasion copies of records to enable them to appeal to the King.

They have obstructed the execution of the Acts of Trade
and Navigation, and refused to recognise many of them.
They award executions against the King's officers in causes
under appeal to the King, obstruct his officers in the discharge of their duty, refuse appeals to the King, and set up
their own naval office in opposition to his. They have made
in October i68o an arbitrary order compelling the King's
officers to deposit security in Court for a special Court,
contrary to law and royal order, and have refused to repay
such deposits when ordered by the King.

They impose customs on goods imported from England, though this was
judged by Sir Robert Sawyer to be illegal. They have found
against the King in all causes for seizure of ships in the
face of clear evidence.

They opposed the King's Commissioners in 1664, notwithstanding their protestations of
loyalty, prociaimed the General Court the supreme judicature of the Colony, received Goffe and Wha1ley, the regicides, with honour, and protected them.

They have not
administered the oath of allegiance to the King to the inhabitants, though required by law and by their charter.

They have invaded the rights of the Duke of York, Lord
High Admiral, by erecting an Admiralty Court of their
own.

They discountenance and discourage members
of the Church of England, forcing them under penalties
to attend their meetings, and accounting all others unlawful assemblies.

They coin money, which their own
Agent admitted to be a high crime, and, though pretending
to beg the King's pardon for it, persisted therein.

They
have committed divers other high crimes in contempt of the
King and to the oppression of his subjects. Whereupon
their Lordships, finding the Agents not duly impowred
by their Commission to consent to such regulation of their
Government as shall bee thought fit according to His Majesty's directions, Doe agree to Report that Mr. Attorney bee
Ordered to bring a Quo Warranto against the Privileges of
their Charter, And that such Papers and Evidencies as
shall bee needful in this Case bee sent to Mr. Attorney for
his better information therein.